[88]

For small shop owners it’s a vicious cycle. They don’t want to take in Scottish notes because many customers won’t want them as change. Customers don’t want them as change because a lot of shop owners won’t take them.

As per the article, they’re not legal tender so no one is required to take them as payment.

[kwhitefoot]

That's not what legal tender means. Legal tender is what must be accepted in settlement of a debt. Buying something in a shop does not involve any debt and the shopkeeper can accept or not any form of payment they like including legal tender.

[Symbiote]

£20 notes should rarely be needed for change. Have you had problems with Scottish £20 notes being accepted?